Jukebox Actual
Member
- Location
- Southern Colorado
- Hardiness zone
- 6a
TL;DR - Get an ultrasonic sound emitting animal deterrent. Research and invest in plants/scents that cats hate (citrus, rosemary etc.).
As I've mentioned in previous post(s), my neighbor turned her fenced in backyard into a cat sanctuary for stray/feral cats in the area. If they find their way here, they usually stay. Long story short, I have quite the time trying to keep them out of my garden beds. I tried everything the internet could offer me, but in the end, I used my veterinary knowledge to best help me. I was a veterinary assistant (VA) for over a decade, during which I became more of a feline specialist. In all the years, with all the cases, I never had to even think about keeping cats out of the garden until these last 2 seasons.
So, what worked for me then? I knew from my VA days that cats are SUPER SUSCEPTIBLE to changes in their environment. They can be particularly sensitive to disruptions to their auditory (hearing) and olfactory (smelling) senses. So, I targeted the senses.
Hearing:
A little research yielded the frequency range in which cats can hear, so there was my target (45Hz - 64kHz). This is only really important for when selecting an auditory deterrent (squawk box). I chose a solar powered option. It had a range of frequencies and volumes both audible and inaudible to the human ear. Sometimes I couldn't hear it, but I could feel it deep in my ears. It worked marvelously. The cats, dogs, birds and squirrels never entered the garden (from that direction) again. This brings us to our next point on the ultrasonic deterrent, range and scope. Most of them will detail their ranges in a similar manner that they would when selling a grow light. Most offer a conical range/scope of coverage, but some are horizontal only. When the neighbor cats discovered they could circumvent the box by entering the garden from behind it, the need for an additional box became clear. There was a slight issue with consistency as well. They didn't always trigger. All in all, when I had them up and running, I never had an issue as I believe they worked often enough (85%+) to deter the cats from trying. The issue is with durability. They seem to last about 18 months for me. This season we will try a slightly more expensive brand with the capability to be plugged in.
Smell:
There are lots of smells that cats dislike in one way or another (plants, oils, sprays). I tried many of them and had varying degrees of success. From my VA knowledge I knew that cats typically dislike citrus, mint, vinegar, rosemary and spicy scents. There are many more, but these were ones I personally knew to be true. These can come with their own issues depending on your situation. For me, my main concern is always the welfare of the animal. I'm an advocate for animals, even pests that destroy my life's work. Cat happens, man. If I am choosing a plant version, I obviously make sure it isn't poisonous to cats.
ASPCA Non/Toxic Plants Cats/Dogs Link
That being said, I had great success using rosemary and thyme plants. I capped off a squash row-end with them and shortly afterwards I stopped seeing cat piles everywhere behind my squash plants. Lots of citrus peels are considered toxic, so if you opt for using scraps or toxic plant parts, it is recommended to use a sort of mesh bag. Bitter orange/lemon sprays work pretty good, but they don't last long outdoors. Prickly plants will deter all but the scarediest of the scaredy cats. If they fear-bolt, they don't care, period. I was advised to avoid mint at all costs (unless potted), as it is rather invasive and hard to control once it roots and spreads. Essential oils are strongest when choosing oils/sprays.
Other popular mentions:
Honeysuckle, lavender, pine, cedar, cinnamon.
Good luck.
As I've mentioned in previous post(s), my neighbor turned her fenced in backyard into a cat sanctuary for stray/feral cats in the area. If they find their way here, they usually stay. Long story short, I have quite the time trying to keep them out of my garden beds. I tried everything the internet could offer me, but in the end, I used my veterinary knowledge to best help me. I was a veterinary assistant (VA) for over a decade, during which I became more of a feline specialist. In all the years, with all the cases, I never had to even think about keeping cats out of the garden until these last 2 seasons.
So, what worked for me then? I knew from my VA days that cats are SUPER SUSCEPTIBLE to changes in their environment. They can be particularly sensitive to disruptions to their auditory (hearing) and olfactory (smelling) senses. So, I targeted the senses.
Hearing:
A little research yielded the frequency range in which cats can hear, so there was my target (45Hz - 64kHz). This is only really important for when selecting an auditory deterrent (squawk box). I chose a solar powered option. It had a range of frequencies and volumes both audible and inaudible to the human ear. Sometimes I couldn't hear it, but I could feel it deep in my ears. It worked marvelously. The cats, dogs, birds and squirrels never entered the garden (from that direction) again. This brings us to our next point on the ultrasonic deterrent, range and scope. Most of them will detail their ranges in a similar manner that they would when selling a grow light. Most offer a conical range/scope of coverage, but some are horizontal only. When the neighbor cats discovered they could circumvent the box by entering the garden from behind it, the need for an additional box became clear. There was a slight issue with consistency as well. They didn't always trigger. All in all, when I had them up and running, I never had an issue as I believe they worked often enough (85%+) to deter the cats from trying. The issue is with durability. They seem to last about 18 months for me. This season we will try a slightly more expensive brand with the capability to be plugged in.
Smell:
There are lots of smells that cats dislike in one way or another (plants, oils, sprays). I tried many of them and had varying degrees of success. From my VA knowledge I knew that cats typically dislike citrus, mint, vinegar, rosemary and spicy scents. There are many more, but these were ones I personally knew to be true. These can come with their own issues depending on your situation. For me, my main concern is always the welfare of the animal. I'm an advocate for animals, even pests that destroy my life's work. Cat happens, man. If I am choosing a plant version, I obviously make sure it isn't poisonous to cats.
ASPCA Non/Toxic Plants Cats/Dogs Link
That being said, I had great success using rosemary and thyme plants. I capped off a squash row-end with them and shortly afterwards I stopped seeing cat piles everywhere behind my squash plants. Lots of citrus peels are considered toxic, so if you opt for using scraps or toxic plant parts, it is recommended to use a sort of mesh bag. Bitter orange/lemon sprays work pretty good, but they don't last long outdoors. Prickly plants will deter all but the scarediest of the scaredy cats. If they fear-bolt, they don't care, period. I was advised to avoid mint at all costs (unless potted), as it is rather invasive and hard to control once it roots and spreads. Essential oils are strongest when choosing oils/sprays.
Other popular mentions:
Honeysuckle, lavender, pine, cedar, cinnamon.
Good luck.
